The Prophecy of Ages
by Mikazukino Hikari
Summary: In a world shaken apart by a mysterious Power, Li finds himself on an unending search to find the Savior, only to find himself face to face with a pair of green eyes and something no one could ever have fortold. SS.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Sun cycle by sun cycle the Power grew  
Until all was lost on the world  
A frightful terror to the ways of Man  
No one could control its path

Then One did rise and give others hope  
A solitary figure came forth  
He fought with the Power long and hard  
Only to find his battle was in vain

Still, he did not lose all hope  
And on dying breath he cast his spell  
His blood let sacrifice brought hope to all  
The Power at last was contained

Hidden now, beyond the seas  
The world of Man was now safe again  
This the last sacrifice of the One promised  
But knew enough to warn:

"When the world has aged a thousand sun cycles  
The Power will again emerge.  
My own gift is not near so strong  
To keep it forever locked away.

The Power is neither Evil nor Good  
But the Sins of Man have more sway  
Evil lurks in hearts of man  
Persuading them to do what they should not.

Should this Evil gain sway  
The Power will be unstoppable forever more  
For Evil has a Power to absorb all  
And its seductiveness will not let go.

But never fear, a promise is made  
In sun cycles forth Good will still remain  
To the world, a Savior will be born  
They alone will be the turner of tides.

Should the Savior go forth  
And grasp the Power firm  
It shall be ever more contained  
And do no more harm.

Look forth to the dawning age  
And seek out the Miracle Birth  
One so unlike the rest  
But who still blends in all too well.

The Savior will only be found  
By the One who calls forth magic as well  
To the Savior they will be drawn  
Until Love is their spell.

Look forth to this coming day  
And pray they shall meet  
For if the Savior does not awaken  
All is lost and Evil has won again."


	2. The Steps to Take

Chapter One: The Steps to Take

He sighed as he reached to take a sip from his water bag. The air had dried out much more quickly than he originally supposed it would. According to the people in the last town, there should be another village somewhere nearby. A smirk appeared over his sullen features briefly before falling away once more as amber eyes surveyed the horizon. These small little hamlet towns seemed like nothing in comparison to the city he was from. But then so few people could claim to be from a city like he was. There were so few left in the world.

The Power had seen to that. Securing his water bag to his horse once more, he nudged her forward as his thoughts settled once more unto his task.

The Power.

It had been when his grandmother was still a girl that the Power had broken free of its restraints once more. The aimless force fluttered around the world in a seemingly random pattern, destroying much in its path. Anyone who had survived the onslaught of the Power could only say that it was overwhelming. No one could recall it attacking in any sentient manner. Only that, like a sudden storm, it would seize upon civilization and wreak havoc until little remained of what had stood before.

The most frustrating part was that no one was quite certain just HOW the power acted. Some recalled visions of fire, others of ice. Some said it was like strong winds, others spoke of disturbing calm. It was as if there were a hundred forces at work at once. The Power, whatever it was, did not seem to act in any one way, baffling those who would contain it.

And those people were his people.

The Li clan, descendants of the magician who had long ago contained the Power at the loss of his own life, were strong in the magic of the land. Many people feared them for their powers, afraid that their source was that which they feared most. It had stopped being worth while to explain to people that they got their power from the earth itself, that magic had been in the world outside of the Power for as long as this destructive force had been. People were foolish. In their fear they began to treat those with magic with disdain and frequently violence. Most people knew to leave his family alone, afraid of what they might do in their vast numbers, but that didn't mean they were so kind to others.

The Li family had offered shelter to those who were persecuted for their own magics, only to be turned down. Few were willing to admit that they had magic in them for fear of being caught and tortured long before they could reach the sanctuary of the Li strong holds. They locked their magic behind shuttered eyes, and those who loved them hid them away behind tall walls and strong lies.

The boy atop his horse sighed once more as he glanced at the suns over head. The larger one, Sol, was sinking towards the plains while the smaller one, Jitsu, trailed slowly behind, casting the world into a purple hue as the red tint of sunset of Sol mixed with the blue daylight of Jitsu. He needed to hurry. While perfectly capable of defending himself against any sort of wild animal, he would need to set up a magic barrier if he wanted to get some sleep on the plains. And using magic would not be in his best interest.

He wished that he had had the forethought to stay behind in the forest he had stopped to have dinner in. Tree magic filled the air and it would make it hard for anyone to discern his magic in that atmosphere. But he had wanted to be on his way and foolishly persisted in his trek. Once more he reigned in his horse and pulled out a telescope to scour the horizon in the direction the villagers had told him to go.

He couldn't help but sigh in relief has he caught sight of small buildings in the distance. Even if he hurried he wouldn't arrive until well after night fall but it would still be enough to have a roof over his head, or at the very least some protective guards against the beasts which preferred to hunt at night. He carefully replaced his telescope and nudged his mare into movement once more. Something had told him to keep going earlier that day. He hoped that his decision would prove to be a good one.

There was giggling. Under some circumstances, the childish sounds of mirth and mischief would not be at all misplaced, but they were here. Leading his horse through probably the only forest left on the plains, he made sure to stay especially on guard. Night had fallen some time ago and he could hear the creatures moving around in the darkened branches that hid all too much. He could hear movement everywhere and found himself tensing up all the more when it seemed like a sudden silence fell on the trees just before him.

So with all the pent up energy and rushing adrenaline, the last thing in the world he expected to hear was a giggle. A girl's giggle none the less. Sighing, he nudged his horse to quicken her pace. If there was a little girl nearby, chances are he was only a few minutes from the small village he had been aiming for the past few hours. As he grew closer to the rustling, he could make out two distinct voices. Not only one girl, but two, and the second seemed distinctly older. Something about this calmed him. He really was too tired to fend of a small foolish child from wandering beasts because her keepers couldn't think for themselves.

He hesitated for a moment at the trees that breached the space between him and the two girls. He didn't want to frighten them, which coming out of the woods so unexpectedly would most likely do, but he also knew he would need to approach them if he wanted to get into the village as quickly as possible. He furrowed his brow, trying to make a decision when the child's voice startled him.

"Look, look, Tomoyo! There's a man on a horse!"

"What are you talking about? There is no such thing," the older voice responded.

"There is! There is! Come out, sir, come out!"

What better invitation than this? he sighed mentally before nudging his mare into the small clearing where the girls were sitting. He pulled up short though when he laid eyes on them. Instead of a young girl and perhaps someone a few sun cycles older than himself, he found two girls approximately his own age. His shock was thankfully covered by the half shriek made by the dark-haired girl as she whirled around to face him.

"See, Tomoyo, I told you!" the lighter-haired girl giggled.

"I can see that Sakura," the other girl, Tomoyo, gasped before taking her hand away from her chest where it had instinctively jumped to calm her racing heart moments before. "Now please be quiet while I talk to the nice man."

He watched the interchange most curiously. The girl called Sakura could be no more than a sun cycle younger than himself, yet everything from the tone of her voice to the way she rocked on her heels bespoke of a child no more than eight. Tearing his eyes away from her, he looked at the other girl she had called Tomoyo. Immediately he saw that she had missed nothing of his curiosity. Nor, he could tell from the glint in her amazingly purple eyes, did she miss much of anything. He looked at her for a moment before dismounting and bowing to the two girls.

"I am sorry for startling you, but I have been traveling all day and was hoping to ask for your help to your village. I understand it is not far from here." It was prettily said, just as his mother had trained him for years. '_Diplomacy is the smart mans weapon.'_

"No apology is needed, sir. We would be happy to show you the way to our home. It is only a few minutes away from here. I'm sure you could have found it by yourself, but it is better this way." The dark-haired girl smiled. "Our night guards are a bit zealous and might not have seen friend from foe."

He stared at her. "How can you say that you can? For all you know, I might be a vicious murderer."

She shrugged. "Sakura trusts you. That is all you need to gain my trust."

He blinked and glanced back to the other girl who was staring at his mare as if she wanted to rush up and pet her. She seemed totally unconcerned with the man standing not so far away from her nor did she seem to care that he was a complete stranger as she smiled giddily at the animal.

"I…see. Then may I ask that we go soon? I have been traveling all day and am in rather need of a good rest."

"Of course, follow me," she smiled before calling to her friend. "Come on, Sakura. It's time to go."

The other girl grinned and turned to skip before her friend through the night woods as if the world were nothing but a vast playground for her to trample through. He followed closely behind them, watching as they talked quietly about nonsense things, typical conversation for an adult and child. There was something more to this than what he could tell on the surface but he wasn't certain if it had anything to do with him or his mission.

As promised, their journey only lasted a few minutes before he could make out torches between tree branches. It wasn't long after that when the girls drew up and made sure to wave distinctly at a man sitting in a sturdy guard box some twenty feet above their heads. The man, who was approximately his own age, nodded at the two girls before focusing in on himself.

"Who have you brought with you?" he called down.

"A friend," came the response.

"What friend could you have well past dusk in the middle of the forest?"

"Someone Sakura trusts!"

The man looked down at him with some consideration again before shrugging. "Go find Touya. He's been worried."

She nodded before looking back at him as if to make sure he understood that he was to follow before following the girl skipping ahead of them. He kept a small distance between them as he glanced around his surroundings. The term village was hardly done justice by the small hamlet. He doubted that more than forty families lived there, if that. Still, it was what he had come to expect since starting his journey. The Power left few to band together. Only a few minutes had passed before they drew up before the largest building. They were not given a chance to mount the stairs up to the entrance before the door was thrown open and a tall man was silhouetted in the door frame.

"Sakura! I told you not to run off again!" the man admonished as he came forward a few steps, allowing the light from the path to strike against him and allow his face to come into proper view. "You better be glad Tomoyo found you so quickly. Can you not imagine what could happen to you alone in the woods at night?"

He growled the words out harshly and looked as if to continue before sighing the familiar sigh of someone who knows that their words are being lost on the listener. He turned to the other girl and smiled wearily. "Thank you for finding her, Tomoyo. Again."

She smiled back at him serenely. "No need to thank me. You know it is my pleasure."

He nodded as his eyes slithered over to the stranger with the two girls. "Who is this?"

"We made a friend, brother! He has a beautiful mare! Can I pet it?"

The man blinked rapidly at his sister before shaking his head. "You have no sense, Sakura." He took a few steps forward until he was at the head of the stairs. "What is your name stranger?"

"Li Syaoran," he answered promptly. As he expected, a certain light gleamed in the older man's eyes before they clouded over once more with distrust.

"What business does a Li have in our town in the middle of the night?"

"I merely seek shelter," Li replied, biting back the urge to glare furiously at the man.

He stared at him for a moment before nodding. "You can stay with Tomoyo and her mother if they permit it. They are the closest thing to a boarding house we have for the likes of you."

Li frowned bitterly as the man took a few steps forward and grabbed the hand of his sister, dragging her through the door and making as if to close it behind them. Before it closed, he turned to glare at him once more. "And stay away from my sister while you are here if you wish to remain alive."

When the door slammed shut, Li allowed himself to glare at the weathered wood. He was not used to being treated so badly, especially by someone he had never before met. Most people knew better.

"Don't mind, Touya," a serene voice broke into his thoughts. "He is very protective of his sister."

Li turned towards the girl with a sigh. "I can see that."

She smiled at him knowingly. "Why don't you follow me? I'll see that you get into a nice bed before too long. You look like you desperately need it."

He frowned, angry at himself for giving away a weakness so readily but nodded to her before following behind her closely.

"My name is Tomoyo Daidouji, by the way. I'm sure you already knew that but it is always best to introduce yourself proper. My mother's name is Sonomi but you won't be meeting her until morning. She keeps early hours since she runs the village shop."

He nodded again, even though he knew she couldn't see him from her angle. He was fairly sure she saw it anyway. "Who was that man?" he asked shortly.

"That was Touya Kinomoto. He is more or less the leader of our town since his father passed away a few years back. I must apologize for his rudeness once more. He is my cousin and I feel it is my place to explain his behavior. But perhaps you can already understand the stress of being in charge of a group of people as sad as we?" she asked, turning to smile at him.

Something in her smile told him that she, too, knew who he was. Exactly who he was in fact, something which made him feel distinctly uncomfortable. Not many knew who he was in relation to his family, only that his name meant bad luck for anyone who crossed him.

Desperate to get that smile from her lips he asked quickly, "And what about the sister?"

A frown settled over her features as she turned to face forward again. She didn't answer for a long minute, gesturing silently for him to tie up his horse beside one of the larger houses. When he was finished, she turned to him with a sad smile. "Sakura worries all of us, but Touya most of all. I can only hope you can imagine what it must be like to have your sister be eternally the child."

He frowned at her. There was definitely something more to this. He had seen 'simple' people before but something struck him as different. She watched him for a moment before giving him a smile and turning to lead him into the house. It was a simple affair with one large room making up the center of the house and three bedrooms sprouting off to the sides.

"You may sleep here tonight. Tomorrow, we'll talk more and mother and I will try to answer any questions you may have. I don't know how much help we simple people can be, but at the very least we can perhaps point you in the right direction."

She smiled at him one last time before leaving the small bedroom and closing the door behind her. Li stared at the door for a moment before taking to the task of preparing for bed. She had stressed the word simple. They were simple people. His ever present frown deepening, Li blew out the candle and lay back on the comfortable bed. He had a feeling that these people were anything but simple.

There was a story to be told here and his instincts were screaming that he find out what it was. But he would leave that for the next day. His thoughts wrapped around him, sending him into a much needed sleep. The last image that fluttered through his mind was a pair of childlike jade eyes.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Light crept in through the window and hit the tired Li's eyelids. Perhaps it was the entrapping dream that had dulled his senses and made him miss the presence in the room until he was awoken by the light. Still, before his eyes were even open, he sensed someone was staring at him. Slowly, he peeked a look under his eyelids only to have them flash open. He bolted upright against the wooden headboard breathing heavily in shock as he stared into the green child-like eyes of the Kinomoto girl.

"He's awake, he's awake!" she giggled, falling back on her heels from where she had been crouched over him moments before. "Tomoyo, he's awake!"

The door opened, drawing Li's eyes to it. He watched Daidouji poke her head in, a look of confusion on her face before she spotted the honey haired girl. Her eyes widened and she rushed into the room.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't realize she was even in the house! She has a way of coming and going unnoticed." The dark-haired girl drew the child-like girl off the bed with an admonishing look. "I should have expected it though, since she has taken a liking to you."

He nodded, unable to tear his eyes off of the Kinomoto girl. "I understand. I have younger cousins."

"I suspected as much," she smiled knowingly. "Why don't you get dressed and come out to breakfast. It's almost finished."

He nodded and followed their figures with his intense eyes until the door closed behind them. As if suddenly awakened by the soft click of the latch, he blinked and shook his head. With a sigh, Li threw back the covers and quickly dressed himself, hiding various possessions in his clothes and only bothering to run his fingers through his unruly hair in a small attempt to calm the disorder. It was only a few moments before he himself left the small room.

The smells of breakfast that had been trickling into the small room suddenly flooded his nose. A wave of hunger washed over him and without a thought, he made his way to the sideboard. He was peering at the different foods when a tall lady with short red hair walked out of the backroom, which was presumably the kitchen. He blinked before turning and sketching a quick bow. She smiled politely and motioned him to sit down.

"Tomoyo told me we had a handsome guest staying with us. It's so nice to see that she wasn't wrong." She handed him a plate with a little bit of everything from the sideboard before joining him with a simple cup of tea. "Though, she didn't mention just who this handsome gentleman was. I'll have to scold her once she comes from her room," she intoned lightly glancing at one of the doors that lead from the room. Her eyes returned to him with an assessing look. "You look just like your father did."

Li choked on the toast he was swallowing and had to gulp at the juice she set before him. When he was able to breathe normally once more, his red, teary eyes latched onto the woman before him. "You knew my father?"

"Yes, I did. Quite well in fact. But we'll discuss that later tonight."

"I don't plan to stay another night, ma'am. I must hurry."

She nodded. "Yes, I imagined as much. But, you could come to no harm to get another night's comfortable rest. I would especially recommend it, knowing who you are and what journey you must be on."

He continued to stare at her in fascination until a clamor came from the bedroom the lady had glanced at a few minutes prior. A moment passed before the two girls exited the room smiling contentedly at each other. A split-second later, the Kinomoto girl caught sight of him and ran to him excitedly.

"Hello! Tomoyo gave me a pretty dress, do you like it?" She twirled, showing off the light sun dress.

He nodded, vaguely bewildered. "It's very nice." After he said this, Li realized it was true. Despite the childlike sense to her, she appeared very lovely and mature in her outfit. The look was at terrible odds with the innocent features and oh so young look in her eyes. Like a child dressing up in her mother's clothing.

"Yay! He likes it! I wonder if Touya will as well!"

"He usually does." Tomoyo's smile didn't quite reach her eyes as they shifted over to meet Li's. He could tell that she too saw as he saw. He could almost guarantee that Kinomoto could see it too.

"Sit down for breakfast girls! It's getting cold. You can chit chat when you are finished eating."

The three listened amiably to the child like chattering of the Kinomoto girl as they made their way through the well made breakfast. Li hadn't realized how much he had been longing for a real meal since he left and so was preoccupied with eating rather than keeping close mind to what the two girls were saying. And so, he was actually somewhat startled to look up and find the three ladies looking at him intently.

Blinking, he looked around at the expectant faces and blushed slightly. "I'm sorry, I wasn't minding the conversation. Please forgive me if I ask you to repeat what was just said?"

Sonomi laughed. "Like your father indeed. The girls just asked if you would like to accompany them to Sakura's house."

"I don't think her brother particularly likes me. It would probably be better if I didn't go," he declined peaceably before standing up and gathering the empty plates as good manners dictated a guest to do.

He was yet again startled when jade eyes popped up in his path.

"No, no. You must come with us! It is important it is! I promise! Please!"

Li stared at her beautiful features, infected with a look far too young for the face, and was about to turn her down when he glanced over at the other two ladies. The mother and daughter were staring at the two of them with what only could be described as consternation. Daidouji locked her beautiful amethyst eyes with him. The message in them was unmistakable.

"Um, it would be my pleasure, Sola Kinomoto."

"Yay! He's coming with us. He will come!" She twirled, her delicate skirts making a circle around her.

Li stared at her but a moment before continuing on to the sink to deposit the dishes. No, it would not be. Yet, while his back was turned, the Sonomi ladies smiled at each other.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Walking through the village was an experience. Every eye in the village was on them, or most. Kinomoto was skipping through the streets and saying hello to all the villagers one by one in her childlike voice. Tomoyo, on the other hand, was walking sedately, keeping a close eye on her friend, and their companion. She was used to Sakura's antics, but still she felt odd under the pressure of all those eyes. She never had liked attention much.

Li, however, took it naturally. He didn't falter, used to the unwavering eyes staring at him wherever he went. He sighed and continued on, his eyes flitting from building to building. He took in the fear and determination laid with every brick and hammered in with every nail. It could come for them at any time, drawn to their life. They knew it, and so did he. Li clenched his hand into a fist.

He'd be damned if he didn't put a stop to this.

"What are YOU doing here?"

Li looked up into familiar angry eyes. "Your sister and Sola Daidouji asked me to accompany them," he replied with chilled politeness.

Kinomoto glared at the younger man for a moment before sighing, resigned. "Come, speak with me."

Amber eyes widened imperceptibly before nodding curtly.

"Yes, yes, you must come in. It is VERY important."

The widened eyes of Kinomoto did not go unnoticed by Li. There seemed to be something underneath the childish ramblings. Something very important. Kinomoto shook it off and frowned as he waved the three of them in. He did not spare a moment away from the horrible glare he directed at the chocolate haired boy. After they entered, he finally noticed the gathered crowd of people.

"Go back to your lives, you busybodies," he yelled before slamming the door behind him.

"You do not need to be so harsh, Touya," Tomoyo admonished softly.

The older boy blushed briefly. But it lasted only for a moment before he turned his hard glare at Li. The two locked eyes and glared at each other intently. They were so determined to show their disproval of the other, even Sakura felt the tremor in the atmosphere.

"TOUYA! Stop glaring at him!"

For a moment, she sounded her age, only for a split second as she stared at Li. The moment passed and she returned to the childlike presence. But the tense silence was broken and Kinomoto gestured for him to sit down.

"What is this about, Touya?" Daidouji asked as she sat next to Sakura.

"Sakura told me last night. She says it's time."

"Already? But, she went only last month!"

"I know, but if she says it's time, it's time."

Li was a bit lost but tried not to look it. "Excuse me, but what does this have to do with me?"

"Well, brat, perhaps if you could sit and listen I'll explain."

"As you will."

Touya stood up, nodded at Daidouji, and began to pace the room as she led her friend up to her room. He watched them leave then turned to Li once more. "As you can see, my sister is not exactly...normal."

"Yes, and?" Li asked somewhat bluntly. Pointing out a girl's faults was not something he believed in.

"Don't get up on a high horse. My sister is also...gifted. She has a way of knowing things. And from time to time she needs to go see a certain lady. The trip takes a long while, through dangerous roads. It is a hassle, to be honest. But, the last time I tried to stop her, she had a fit and nearly died."

"So, I ask again, what this has to do with me?"

"I can't go with her. Tomoyo has already agreed to go with her every time, but she is still just a girl. She isn't completely defenseless, but still, I imagine that you know what it is like on those roads."

"I do."

"Would you please go with her?"

Li smiled irritatingly. "Why should I?"

Kinomoto glared at him. "Because, I know what you are seeking. And if anybody could tell you where, it is this woman she is meeting...or perhaps Sakura herself."

Li stared at him, then sighed. "Fine. I will escort her. She is an innocent." He looked down and smiled at his hands, thinking of her shining eyes.

The older man audibly growled. "Don't you get any ideas about my sister. She is not even capable of romantic love so don't try it!"

Li stood up and smiled in the most irritating way he could muster. "I think she is capable of many things that you could never understand. as her brother. Now if you will excuse me. I should prepare for my trip tomorrow. With lady's accompanying me, I need to gather more things."

"Watch yourself brat."

"Yeah, yeah."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Tomoyo?"

"Yes, Sakura?"

"He is going to marry me."

"Really?" Tomoyo giggled. "Why do you say that, Sakura?"

"Because I see it," she smiled at her friend. "I saw him in my dreams before he ever came."

Tomoyo gasped slightly. What Sakura saw, came true. But how could anyone marry a child, but out of pity? Tomoyo prayed that it would be true, but could not hope for it. Instead she smiled at her friend. "I'll be your attendant."

Sakura shook her head. "No, you won't. You will be somewhere else then. But, I promise I'll hold another ceremony so you can be in it."

The amethyst eyes clouded over in fear. This wasn't a childish fantasy. Not a weird twisted viewing. If Tomoyo wasn't at Sakura's wedding, it was because she was dead, injured or kidnapped. She stared at her friend as she played with a childish glee, making voices for her dolls as they danced around the room.

Tomoyo had the worst feeling that nothing would ever be the same again.


	3. Secrets to Tell

**Note:** Not my best work. But perhaps next time it will be better. Please read and tell me what you think. Reviews liven the soul and from some parts of this chapter, it's obvious I need it.

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**Chapter Two: Secrets to Tell**

The mists crouched around the soft carpet of moss on the woodland floor. The soft patches of grey swirled as hoofs broke the pre-dawn calm, scattering the creeping fog. The trees grew tall, the high canopy blocking the dim glow of twilight from the searching eyes of the chocolate haired boy on horseback. His eyes flitted from tree to tree, searching in vain for the source of the strange aura of the woods. This was no ordinary tree magic surrounding them. It had a different quality to it.

"They are fascinating aren't they?" Daidouji commented from his right, yawning slightly.

Li's amber eyes glanced at her, observing once more the obvious fact that she was not used to being up so early. Nor was Kinomoto, who, for all appearances, was herself asleep atop her own horse. He pondered that perhaps he should demand she ride with him until she awoke properly, but decided against it when he saw her tighten her hands on the reins and open her eyes briefly before nodding off once more. He rolled his eyes, exasperated.

"Her mother planted these trees," Daidouji commented, unable to see his eyes from her vantage point and so taking his silence for affirmation.

Li turned slightly to look at her. "Really? She must have spent a long time at it," he stated, awe creeping into his brusque voice. "Still, even if Kinomoto was born here...these trees shouldn't be this fully grown," he commented in an undertone.

"Thus the mystery. She started planting these shortly after they moved here, when Touya was only three. She came from a distant part of our country where there were forests and so worried that he would never see trees." Daidouji smiled. "More like it than not, I think she just missed them herself.

"She came from the same part of the country as I. It is a great distance from here and is not so far from the Great Capital itself."

"The Great Capital?"

"Hmm," he confirmed, "where our Sovereign lives. Though, to be blunt, it is only for the time being, as he grows old and obviously regrets the loss of his land."

"I did not know. I wasn't really positive there WAS a king since, there seems to be very little government of any sort," Daidouji sighed.

"Sadly. Still, please continue."

"Oh, yes. She didn't plant all the trees, of course. Some of them grew on their own from nut and acorn, but still, she spent years at it. The rest of the villagers, I hear, thought she was crazy. Back then, it was barely a village, no more than ten or eleven families. They called her insane to think that the trees would grow."

"But they did."

"Mmm-hmm. They grew faster than anyone could imagine and before Sakura was born there was a luscious forest surrounding the village, protecting it as it were. The villagers were mystified and began to whisper than she...had magic."

Li's eyebrows drew up, suddenly curious as to how the poor woman had died. It wasn't often that a small village would accept a woman suspected of having magic. "What did they do?"

"Nothing, actually. The rumours persisted, but not in a malicious manner. If she was helping trees grow, they had no complaint. Trees would attract people and help protect them from the worst of the Plain Storms, and so they call these woods Nadeshiko after her."

It would explain the nagging uncertain magical aura encompassing the trees, Li thought, before something occurred to him. "I understand that Kinomoto and her brother are orphans from what your mother told me. When did their mother die?"

Daidouji's eyes twinkled, glad that he had caught on to the subtly placed hint. "She died when Sakura was just a child of three."

"So why are the trees still growing?" Li asked, somewhat baffled.

"We aren't sure, really. Even more mystifying, the forest has actually expanded since she was lost to us, more than doubling in size. No one can account for it. As such, it is our favorite local mystery."

Li thought her words over for some time, peripherally noticing that the story had lasted almost the duration to the trip through the woods themselves. As approached the tree line, the light signaled dawn's quick approach. Not, for the first time, he pondered exactly how long the journey would be. No one could truly estimate how long it usually lasted somehow, but still he estimated it would last more than a fortnight. The thought was slightly daunting and Li sighed as they broke through the last of the woods, into the pale morning light of dawn's first break of Sol's yellow rays.

"Hoee?"

Li looked over to see the Kinomoto girl suddenly awake and at full attention. No longer did she hold the almost drugged look, but instead she seemed only slightly tired as if finally breaking free of a sleep spell. Jade eyes squinted in annoyance at the gradually brightening light and yawned.

"Good morning, Sakura," Daidouji chimed.

"Morning, Tomoyo. Morning, Li Xiao Lang," she giggled with the excitability of a child screaming out someone else's secret, stretching slightly.

Li reigned in his mare startled. "Why did you call me that?" he frowned.

Kinomoto grinned at him. "It's your name, isn't it? I call people by their names. Anything else would be silly...or rude."

Daidouji glanced back and forth between the two for a moment before smiling tremulously at Li. "I'm sorry if it offends you, but she means no harm by it."

Li's amber eyes stared at the Kinomoto girl, assessing something in her own jade ones for a long time before finally shaking his head and flicking the reins of his mare. Daidouji and Kinomoto smiled at each other and followed behind him a decent distance, chatting amiably after a moment's passage. Li's eyes developed a mind of their own and continuously glanced back at the girls, vaguely disturbed. He could not comprehend how she knew his real name, but from the look he had seen on Daidouji's face, it was undoubtedly a significant occurrence, and had definitely happened before.

Something told him, this journey, even with its hints of the unusual, went deeper than he thought. Much deeper.

"Tell me, Daidouji."

It was night, several hours after the suns had set once more. The familiar stars dotted the sky around the three rising moons. The night sky softly lit, guiding the travelers for sometime. At last Li, noting their tired faces, called for them to stop for the night and set up camp. Life touched the barren landscape in small spatters of green and brown, none of it growing above a foot in height. The hills grew in the distance, promising the sure return of green with the soaring mountains.

Li had spotted a small rock growth, only tall enough for a man to shelter some of the harsh night winds that plagued the desert, and only fully for perhaps two people edgewise. Still, it was better than nothing, so he motioned for them to head that way. Kinomoto was once more half asleep on her horse and had to be guided carefully along the way. Once awake, she was happy enough, though, to help set up camp. The quicker it was set up the quicker she might return to sleep.

And so she did. It was over her sleeping form that Daidouji and Li spoke quietly, themselves not quite able to lapse into the perfect sleep so easy for children. And, apparently, those far too like them.

Daidouji looked at Li for a moment, assessing whether or not to play dumb. However, the fierce look in the amber eyes told her that it was useless. "I can tell you what I know, but there are still many things I simply do not understand, even after all this time."

He nodded brusquely. "That's fine. Just tell me what happened this morning."

The raven haired beauty looked down at her toes, chewing on her lip unconsciously as she attempted to script what she had to tell him. "You can clearly see, just with a moment's glance that Sakura is different. I know yesterday Touya told you this, as well as venturing to say how she has a way of just knowing things." She put her hair behind one ear, keeping her eyes on her toes as if contemplating what colour she would paint them before sighing a little. "That is really only skimming the surface really. She can tell if a person is good or bad, just by looking at them it would seem. She will hear or see something long before anyone else even knows where to look. And, as you noticed, she has a way of knowing, absolutely knowing, things there is no way she would be able to know."

"Like my name," Li supplied, looking down at the sleeping girl with eyes filled with renewed interest.

"She's has been this way almost since she was born. Obviously, because of this, her brother has become overly protective of her. I must confess, I am much the same as well."

Li nodded distractedly, his thoughts elsewhere. "Thank you. Get some sleep, Daidouji. Tomorrow will be a long day as well."

"Goodnight, Li."

"Goodnight." He watched the moons rise, the largest, Luna, with it's soft greenish glow sitting in the sky between Tsuki, glowing blue, and Artemis, glowing faintly yellow, as he listened to Daidouji settle into her makeshift bed. He knew that he should sleep himself, but found that his mind was too chaotic. Li stared at the moons long into the night. Finally, he fell into his own sleep.

She sipped her tea calmly, her overtly authoritative nature mellowing upon the discussion's start. A far away look flooded over her eyes which usually measured everything with the sharp focus of a predator, or shopkeep. For a moment, these eyes rested on the cup in her delicate hands before flitting up to meet Li's.

"Nadeshiko, Sakura's mother, and I are distant cousins. Once upon a time we lived in the Great Capital with our Great-Grandfather. He was one of the Undying, but having married outside his clan, as well as his children, the blood ran thin and by the time she was sixteen, he was the only family she had, her parents having been taken from her by the Power a sun-cycle prior. And so, Great-Grandfather had been struck by the hope of finding her companionship to easy her lonliness."

"HOEEEEE!"

Li was forcibly dragged from his thoughts by the familiar sound he came to associate with day-break hitting Kinomoto flush in the face. He sighed internally as once again she greeted both of them by name (Li's full name in point of fact) and began to chatter like a small woodland creature with Daidouji. It was their daily routine, every morning the same, every afternoon, every evening, and, at last, the same night for the past few days passage. The only shift in the monotony were the foods they'd eat, the places they'd stop and the scenery that danced around them as it slowly shifted from sparse plains life unto lush mountain side.

The exasperated man was beginning to understand why no one could accurately gauge the duration of their journey. With everyday so perfectly mimicking the next, it was easy to see how the days could begin to blend into one long mass of time passed. However a small part of him looked forward to the day's passage. He had been assured by Daidouji that the next sunrise would bring a small village in their path.

Time couldn't pass fast enough.

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"Of course, while Great-Grandfather's eyes were elsewhere, seeking companionship for his beloved, and probably favorite grandchild, Nadeshiko managed to find companionship on her own.

"You see, Fujitaka was her private tutor. He was some eleven sun-cycles older than she and was amazingly, unmarried. It was love at first sight for both of them. They hadn't known each other six moon-cycles before he did the scandalous and proposed to her. She immediately accepted.

"No one accepted it. Myself included. I was furious with her for leaving me. I hated him for taking her," she sighed, "but not so long from then, I myself became engaged and grudgingly we all became friends. However, Great-Grandfather was not so sanguine. He still opposed their marriage fervently so they fled and my husband and I followed steadfastly behind."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Li stared at the girls as they giggled, bouncing between different stands. Fortuitously, for them at least, they had come into the village during something resembling a festival. Shopkeeps from surrounding villages brought their wares, and great foodstuff, for a three day long festival.

Daidouji and Kinomoto were in pure bliss.

Li couldn't wait to leave. The scene reminded him of his cousin and the thousand festivals and street carnivals she had dragged him to in the past. He sighed heavily. The whole situation was getting aggravating. The time before he reached this woman they were supposed to meet couldn't be short enough. Even his curiosity of the Kinomoto girl had fled after days of nothing from her to spark an interest once more. Once more, he sighed and finally mad the decision to press on. He had already replenished any supplies that needed tending to and the girls had been fluttering from stand to stand long enough. Thankfully they had sense enough not to complain when he told them it was time. Even so, it was going to be a long ride until camp.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Some would find it ironic that the very person Great-Grandfather had decided on for his granddaughter's new friend, was the first person she befriended on her own. Nadeshiko had, characteristically, tripped as she hurried down the road away from her home, falling to the ground on the hard road. Perhaps by coincidence alone, though we all tend to believe it was fate, she fell directly in front of your mother."

"Mother?"

"Mmm-hmm. Your mother was a beautiful girl even then. She immediately went to her knees to help Nadeshiko up. I can still remember the look in their eyes as they looked upon each other for the first time. A smile grew between them as if they had found at long last their old friend who had gone away many years before."

She smiled, nostalgia washing over the expression. "It was a happy moment indeed. Yelan didn't seem to need an explanation, which I'm sure you know already, and merely led the four of us to her grand estates. It was only then that I realized just who we had stumbled across."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

As night fell, their soft chatter slowed into sporadic questions and answers then melted into tired yawns. Finally, Li heard Kinomoto's snores float over his head and pulled reined in his mare. Usually he insisted they ride later into the night, but everyone was tired and couldn't hurt from a longer rest. He glanced back and signaled for Daidouji to head off towards a lone tree growing on the plain to settle down for camp.

Silently, they pulled out their bedding while Li started a small fire to cook the small allowance of meat he had bought earlier in the village. Kinomoto didn't bother to conceal her yawns as she waited for the meal to cook. Daidouji on the other hand, seemed alert enough as she pulled forth a length of cloth for what seemed to be another dress she was making for her friend. When at last the meal was done and they had finished eating, Kinomoto's green eyes suddenly glowed with renewed interest.

Li looked with bemusement between the girl and Daidouji's glowing amethyst eyes as she grinned slyly as Kinomoto began to root in her traveler's bag. It seemed that whatever she was looking for was hard to find in the relatively small bag. The two watched her, Li's bemusement slowly turning into a wry sense of amusement as the search seemed to go on and on past reason. At last, a small squeal of excitment came emerged from the huddle of girl and personal belongings.

The startled boy had to resist the urge to back up quickly as she pounced into the air directly before him. Bright jade eyes occupied the space only inches from his own amber ones, laughter and joy dancing about in their depths.

"Look, look, Li Xiao Lang! I have bought you a present!"

"A present?" Li stuttered. He couldn't remember anyone buying him a present without single cause in his life previous.

"Yes! I bought one for you. It told me to!"

"That's new," he replied, blinking. "What would this present be?"

The words had barely left lips when an object was thrust into his features. He cautiously took it from her finger tips and pulled it away from his face to focus in on the object. Ever so slightly, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"It's a wolf!" she grinned. He nodded, the same feeling washing over him as had on the first morning when she had told him his real name. "Aren't wolves wonderful?"

"I should think not!" Daidouji piped up from her place by the fire, her needle never wavering as she looked at the two kneeling across from each other.

"Silly Tomoyo! So many people silly. People hear of wolves and the grow afraid. They see a wolf and they are afraid," she nodded, locking eyes with Li in a way that could not be accidental. "But, I know the truth. The wolf is a gentle creature. He loves and protects those he loves fiercely but does not seek to harm anyone who should not be harmed. He is a noble creature, the wolf."

Li stared at her, taken aback. The significance of what she was saying could not be mistaken as simple childish ramblings. She knew each word coming from her mouth and precisely how it would be taken. She grinned at him one last time, before a yawn overtook her smile and she waved her fingers, signaling her decision to retire.

Daidouji wished him goodnight as well and followed her friend. Li didn't hear or acknowledge the goodnight wishes. His eyes were fixed to the stuffed toy in his hands, his thoughts dragged once more to the conversation so many nights before.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Your mother, as I'm sure you know, is a kind soul. She asked for no explanation and immediately offered us shelter, even though she had four girls of her own already, the youngest only a year old. Not that your establishment couldn't afford it. The lands are so huge. We were amazed to learn that it was only the smaller of your holdings," she chuckled.

"We immediately become great friends with your father as well. He was a fine gentleman. A great man, an excellent leader. He took to us instantly and when they were to move away from the Great Capital once more, he invited us to travel with them. As if we were part of the clan as well.

"It was paradise, far more simple and beautiful than anything we had known. It was lush with magic, even when none was in the workings. I can't remember a time when we were happier than when we were with your family. Nadeshiko was in love with your home and Yelan and she the fastest of friends, despite their polar personalities.

"Not long after we arrived, it became apparent that Nadeshiko was increasing. Yelan immediately let her know, per request, that she was expecting a boy, Touya as it were." Sonomi stopped and smiled. "She spoke of you then."

"Me?" asked, somewhat baffled.

"Yes, you. She had known that one day, not knowing which, she would have a young boy child. She already knew your name, Xiao Lang. She thought it over for many years and at last came to the perfect name, she said. It was a name for someone noble, strong, loving and fiercly protective. Her son."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The words echoed in his mind restlessly. His eyes finally detached from the stuffed toy in hand to flit over to the not-so-young girl sleeping soundly. Her mysteries were once more beginning to unfold an catch his curiosity. He still couldn't spot what he thought was lurking somewhere beneath the childlike eyes.

Nor was he ready for what he would eventually find.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

He couldn't say what woke him up. Something, a feeling, caressed his mind, flicking against his aura until at last he was dragged into consciousness. Confused, he glanced at the sleeping figure beside him. Figure. Where had Kinomoto gone to? he wondered as he quietly slipped out of his make shift bed, careful to not wake the exhausted Daidouji.

As he glanced around, he thought he saw a figure in the dark night. While the had slept, clouds had crept up from the horizon to encompass the entire night sky, forcing Li to rely on his superb, but still limited, night sight. Slowly, he approached, gradually discerning her shadowed outline against the horizon. Relaxing slightly he stopped and began to inspect her figure. Vague shadows lengthened as the clouds began to dissipate, letting the soft moon light through. The glow enveloped her and caused him to gasp.

The long honeyed hair glinted almost silver in the light, her upturned face shone porcelain and her eyes reflected the stars in the endless night. At the soft sound, she turned her head to look at him. For a long moment, her eyes glanced over his form. Then she smiled, the sort of smile never seen on her face before, and turned back to her stars. She gazed up with such longing, it seemed as if her soul would leave for the heavens right then and there.

Li stood shocked for a moment then walked towards her slowly. When he drew even with her, she turned to smile at him again, blushing slightly. "Why aren't you asleep, Kinomoto?" His voice was hesitant, unsure of what precisely was happening.

"Hmm, they woke me up, Xiao Lang. They woke me up and called to me." She smiled again.

Li could almost swear that he saw a hint of flirtation in the smile and the way she looked down for a moment and then back up to meet his eyes. But he knew it was impossible. "What woke you up?"

"The stars, the moon. It happens sometimes, not often, but sometimes. Then I wake up, me." She turned to look back at the stars sighing slightly in awe.

Li wasn't going to begin to ask her what she meant. It simply didn't cross his mind. Instead his mind was racing at the dramatic change in her demeanor. She held herself up differently; her voice had lost the child-like tone. He was even pretty sure her eyes could SEE differently than the way they had hours before. For the first time in his life, Li was unsure of what to do. He simply stared.

Sensing his eyes on her, Kinomoto turned to face him. As she did, the clouds once again enveloped the night sky, thrusting them into complete darkness once more. "We should probably get a little more sleep before it is time to wake up."

Li nodded, oblivious to the idea that it was pitch black and she probably couldn't see him. "I'll lead you back," he said, turning to go back to where Daidouji was sleeping peacefully. He had only taken a step when she grabbed his hand and pulled him back around to face her. He briefly pondered how she could discern his hand so quickly in the overwhelming darkness, but that thought was almost instantly thrown aside when she acted in a way that shocked him to his core.

She kissed him.

It was an innocent kiss, almost. The kind a girl her age might give to a boy she likes but is unsure of. But it was still a kiss, and not even a particularly short one at that. She pulled back at last and grinned up at him.

"Find me."

"H-huh?" was the sophisticated reply.

"Find me. Now you know I'm here. Find me." She grinned audaciously as she whispered the last two words. Then, as if she had been hit on the head, she collapsed. Li's instincts reacted before his mind did, fortunately, and caught her before she hit the ground.

"Kinomoto...Kinomoto!" he whispered fervently, shaking her gently.

Her eyes flit open, fluttering in quick succession before she stood up of her own power. She looked at him, her face overcome by confusion. "How did I get here?" she asked, once again talking in her child-like voice. "I must have been sleep walking again," she giggled. "I'm sorry, Xiao Lang."

A cold shiver ran down his spine at the reverted look in her eyes. For a moment, he wondered if they had both been sleep walking but knew it was a foolish thought. For a few minutes, she had changed. Completely. "Uh, no problem, Kinomoto. Go back to bed before you wake up Daidouji."

She nodded exuberantly and slipped between the sheets of her bedding, quickly falling asleep once more. Just as a child would.

Li stared at her long and hard before finally returning to bed himself. Something was definitely odd about that girl. She was far more than she seemed, even more than Daidouji could have guessed. And he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to find out just how deep those 'gifts' went inside the young woman. With a sigh, he rolled over, away from the enigmatic woman/child and closed his eyes with all the determination to sleep.

Meanwhile, two amethyst eyes were stretched wide with disbelief at the things she had just overheard.

* * *

I do not own these characters. 


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